Queen of Hearts
by xxBurningxx
Summary: Three reasons why she hates Valentine's Day and one instance that makes her think that perhaps the overrated holiday isn't as bad a she'd initially made it out to be. [Soul x Maka]
1. Reason Number 1

**Story Note: Set after the end of the manga, very slight spoilers; nothing major though. This is a Valentine's Day story and will be updated daily, the last chapter being published on V-Day itself. Rated T for language. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.**

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><p><strong>Queen of Hearts<strong>  
><strong>by.<strong> _xxBurningxx_

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><p><em>Reason #1: PDA (public displays of affection).<em>

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><p>It's sickening, Maka thinks, observing the "love" that's supposedly in the air. If that's true however, she sure as hell isn't feeling any of it. The scythe meister slumps against the bench outside, brooding over her thoughts while she watches in dull annoyance as various couples around her are practically <em>swaying<em> to the giddy buzz the upcoming holiday has stirred up. It's the one time of year when everyone is seemingly attached to the idea of intimacy and over-the-top displays of affection, and in her mind it's worse than any monster she's ever faced, Kishin or otherwise.

(Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but she shrugs it off.)

Ridiculous proclamations of love and stupid pet-names and obnoxiously obvious couples are all around her it seems. Then again, it's like this every year and it just so happens that for some reason it seems to be bothering her more than it usually does. The stupid holiday known as Valentine's Day has always grated on her nerves, but never to this unpleasant extent before. For some reason the sight of her fellow Shibusen students giggling happily at one another is making Maka's blood boil, and suddenly she feels the urge to ask Soul if he wouldn't mind stabbing the nearest lovey-dovey couple on her behalf.

She shakes her head while the slightest chuckle escapes her lips at the mental image playing in her mind. Instead she stares at the open book in her lap, that twinge of negativity sparking in her chest once again. Despite having been outside for a good twenty minutes now, she hasn't actually read any of the novel; when she tries to the words seem to float in one ear and drift out the other, the string of letters not registering in her head.

It's futile, she realizes as she sends a sharp glare at a couple across the courtyard whom had previously been eating each other's faces off in a disgusting manner.

Like it's a fucking contest, she thinks. It's the "Whom-can-kiss-whom-harder-before-spontaneously-bursting?" contest.

Maka blinks at her vulgarity. It's unlike her to get so worked up about, well anything really (with the exclusion of her weapon), and so naturally she's frustrated with her own unknown irritation. She isn't even really sure why the infamous V-day is getting to her so much.

Maybe it's the fact that such blatant open displays of love should be reserved for out-of-school settings. Perhaps she's merely angry that even her own friends have fallen victim to the affectionate-vibe resonating throughout the school, all the while she's sitting on a goddamn bench with no better excuse than "wanting some peace and quiet."

Then a thought thunders across her mind like a neon sign, making her blood run cold.

Maybe she's jealous of them?

She can't help it; a burst of laughter erupts from her chest at the silly notion, earning her a few funny looks from the couples around her. Oh Death, isn't that a funny idea? She snickers some more, the absurd idea enough to temporarily bring her out of the previous cloud of thundering anger. This is Maka Albarn we're talking about; the recently promoted to three-star meister who created the Last Death Scythe. She's the girl who doesn't depend on men (again, with the slight exception of the aforementioned scythe).

"You're really weird, you know?"

She jumps at the sound of a deep baritone rumbling behind her and she doesn't even have to look to know who it is. His voice alone is enough an indicator, and if not that then it's the familiar feel of his soul approaching. "Excuse me?" she snaps, returning to her foul mood and allowing it to show through her tone, admittedly with a little less vigor now.

"First you're storming away from our lunch table and now you're here sitting by yourself giggling. So don't try to tell me you aren't at least a little strange," he says, smirking as he slides down to sit next to her. Something about the way he rests his arm across the back of the bench, barely brushing her shoulders, makes her heart speed up a little. She finds a little smile tugging on the corners of her mouth at his remark, her previous irritation seemingly dissipating from her in an instant. As of late, she's found it harder and harder to even get a little annoyed with her white-haired weapon. "So what's up?" he asks, the joking tone slipping out of his voice and being replaced with sincerity.

"Ah, it's nothing, really. I've just been thinking about how stupid all of this is," she says, making an arm gesture towards the unusually crowded courtyard. Most days no one came outside to eat, but between the Valentine's Day jitters and absolutely amazing weather, it seems that everyone had the same idea about coming outside. Soul gives a slight hum in agreement, stifling a yawn behind his hand.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. All this affectionate crap is pretty uncool," he says lazily, tipping his head back to look at the sky. Even the usually-gruesome laughing sun has some kind of strange dreamy look on it's face, almost as if it too were infatuated with someone or something.

Maka nods, suddenly feeling a pang of disappointment run through he. Her eyebrows furrow because she doesn't understand why Soul's agreement made her heart flutter the way it did. She should be glad he shares her distaste towards public displays of affection, but instead it has an almost opposite effect. Strange, she thinks, but brushes it off because it's the least of her concerns at the moment. Her attention is focused on a particular couple cuddling on the bench adjacent to them from across the courtyard. The girl's face was buried in the guy's neck, and Maka cant help but wrinkle her nose.

"It's not even Valentine's Day yet, and it's already this bad," she mumbles, rolling her eyes.

"Imagine what it's going to be like on the actual day itself," he replies, giving a visible shudder at the thought.

"Ugh, please, don't remind me," she groans, rubbing her face with her right palm. Somewhere in the back of her head an image of her papa running around, chasing multiple women at one time, flashes in her head and she all but cringes at the awful imaginary yet likely-to-come-true scene.

"Then there's that stupid ball Kid's having too," Soul says, the lack of interest and dread evident in his voice. "Are you sure we have to go?"

She nods reluctantly. "Much as I actually don't want to either, we have to. You being the Last Death Scythe and all, Kid's probably gonna want you to give a speech or something." When the look on his face falls in mortification, she quickly adds, "Don't worry; I doubt it'll be anything major since it's just Valentine's Day and nothing really important. Besides, our friends would be disappointed if we don't go."

Her partner only gives a slight grunt in acknowledgement, looking forward to the event about as much as she is. She throws him a sympathetic glance and pats his shoulder. "We've survived worse than a silly party, right?"

He gives an airy laugh at that.

"I suppose. Then again, you don't have a damn fan-club to deal with. They'll probably be stalking me all night," he complains, throwing his face in his hand in dread. Her mind instantly darkens at the mention of all the girls that still follow him around like starving little puppies.

Maka sighs, sparing another look at the couple across from them again. Immediately she adverts her eyes with a disgusted sneer. The girl had moved so that she was straddling the boy and it was obvious they were getting out of control. Did they really have to do that here? At school?

"Don't look now, although I highly doubt they'd even notice, but that couple over there is practically already at second base."

"Huh?" Soul asks, glancing over. His eyes widen slightly as he mutters an exaggerated, "Oh _Death_, are you serious?"

Suddenly he stands up, tugging on the sleeve of her arm. "Come on," he says a he forces her up. "Let's get out of here; maybe the library won't be this swamped with these idiots."

Despite the fact their lunch-break was almost over, she complied, the smallest little grin on her face. "Okay," she mutters quietly, following him.

Yes, it'd be nice to get away from these love-stricken fools, even if she _is_ as helpless as them and just doesn't know it yet.

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, so I had to do a Valentine's story. Like said before, I'll update this tomorrow, the day after that, and then there will be an incredibly fluffy finale on Valentine's Day itself. So yeah, first chapter done. Sorry it's short. The next two will probably be short as well, but hopefully the last chapter will be longer. I hope you enjoyed! Reviews and favs are greatly appreciated, thank you!**

Edit: **Fixed a few typos because this was initially written on my iPod! Thanks for the lovely reviews everyone!**


	2. Reason Number 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater. **

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><p><strong>Queen of Hearts<strong>  
><strong>by<strong>. _xxBurningxx_

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><p><em>Reason #2: Shopping for groceries becomes a suicide mission.<em>

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><p>The following day at Shibusen is no better than the previous in terms of escaping the horrors of Valentine's Day. If anything, it's only worsened, to her and Soul's utter horror. Maka tries her best to ignore all the happy relationships around her via burying her face in a textbook, but the sound of sappy giggles and faint whispers of pronounced love is enough to make her stomach churn. She looks up from the heavy tome about advanced close-combat techniques as the sound of footsteps approach, and she looks with disdain at the tray of food that's slid in front of her.<p>

"What the hell is this?" she asks, bookmarking her page dog-ear style (something she rarely does, and would never even consider when it comes to her personally owned novels) and setting it next to her backpack. She's not quite sure if she wants to laugh in exasperation or become annoyed; she settles with a mixture of both, allowing a scoff to escape her.

"That's _exactly _what I said," Soul grumbles as he takes a seat across from her, stabbing a plastic fork into the dinner roll on his tray. As if the eccentric balloon decorations and red streamers strung across the cafeteria weren't enough to remind her of the looming holiday, the tray her food rests on is shaped in none other than that of a heart, the Styrofoam material dyed a light shade of pink. Soul continues with a lazy shrug, "I suppose Kid's just trying to keep up the same spirit his father did around this time of year, but isn't this a little much? Even for him?"

"Soul," Maka sighs, rolling her eyes, "don't you realize? These trays are perfectly symmetrical. He probably saw them and couldn't resist." She smiles a little, thinking about how ridiculous their friend could be; despite becoming the new Lord Death, some things never change she supposes. Then again, the fact that he has the school spending money on stupid stuff like this also makes her want to tilt all the picture frames in his mansion a little. She blinks when suddenly a hand is being waved in front of her face.

"Yo, Earth-to-Maka, did you hear me?"

"Huh?" she asks, albeit a little sheepishly, feeling guilty for spacing out on him. Usually it's the other way around.

"I _said_," he drawls out the word with a dramatic sigh, "we're out of milk and running low on just about everything else, so can we stop by the store after school's out?"

She nods, picking at the slice of turkey on her heart-shaped tray.

_Who knows_, she thinks. _Maybe I'll just buy enough food so we can hide in our apartment until this awful holiday is over._

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><p>The moment she takes a step inside Death-Mart, she's about 95% convinced right then and there that she must have taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in Hell instead. The look on Soul's face seems to perfectly reflect what she's thinking, but he doesn't say anything as he retrieves a shopping buggy. If she thought Shibusen's interior decorating was bad, then Death-Mart was the epitome of all her nightmares. There were so many various balloons attached to the shelves that they were practically greeted with a sea of pink and red clouds, while loud advertisements stood out, somehow convincing foolish customers to purchase the cheap products. Not only that, but the shelves on display when they first walked in seemed to never end, filled with boxes of chocolate, stuffed animals, and other stereotypical Valentine's Day merchandise.<p>

"What, has the whole damn city become obsessed with love?" Maka exclaims as Soul pulls up to her, cart in tow.

"No kidding," he laughs. "The Kishin Asura seriously had nothing on this kind of insanity."

They walk around the store at an unusually brisk pace, one goal in mind: get the hell out of there, and fast. It seems that they simply can't run away from all the couples, even when it comes to a chore as simple as shopping for groceries. Maka can feel her eye twitching as she viciously grabs a gallon of milk off the dairy shelf all but throws it in the cart, startling a pair that had been trying to decide between whole or skim milk. "Soul, do most couples go on dates to the store?" she asks sarcastically, although it almost comes out as a growl.

"Don't be stupid Maka, of _course_ they do," he replies, rolling his eyes in a dramatic fashion while shaking his head as though she should know better. "This is obviously as romantic as it gets."

She can't help but giggle. Mutual sarcasm directed at the same enemy is always a good way to get one's mind off—_the one couple knocking over boxes of cereal whilst making out. _"Oh my Death, are you kidding me," she deadpans, staring at them as the cardboard boxes fall to the floor loudly.

Soul on the other hand bursts out laughing. The two culprits were now staring awkwardly at the mess they'd accidentally made, slowly inching away and trying to act like it wasn't them. Their expressions make her smile too, because they look so guilty it _is_ kind of funny. Shaking her head, Maka starts down a different aisle. They survive the rest of the store rather well, and asides from the numerous people around them holding hands and purchasing those crappy stuffed animals or mediocre chocolates on display, for a moment they think they'll actually make it out.

No such luck.

When they get to the end of the store that makes a shift from groceries to appliances (electronics, crafts, and other miscellaneous things of the sort), they find themselves being pulled aside by a burly man by a large table, doing a demonstration of some kind. Lined up on his table was a large row of candles, a few of them up front actually lit. "You lovely pair right there, get over here!" His voice is loud and booming so as to get the attention of the other shoppers as well. He grabs Maka and Soul's arms and pulls him them closer to the table.

"Are you experiencing a lack of excitement in the bedroom?" he asks, making a sweeping gesture over them. A few other customers have stopped to see what's happening.

"_Excuse me?_" Soul hisses, not really sure what's happening, sparing a few glances at the other people. Maka is blinking, her mind still trying to catch up with the large man's initial question.

"Is the spark between you gone? Is it simply just not as fun as it used to be?"

"Umm," Maka says, holding a hand up in confusion, her brain moving rather sluggishly. Is he suggesting what she thinks he's suggesting?

"Well then you need E-Z-Rise Death-Candles! Light a few of these suckers in your bedroom and in no time you'll be practically waking up the entire neigh—"

"_What?_" Maka squeaks, jaw dropped. "WE'RE TEENAGERS YOU PERV!"

The small crowd is snickering at this point and she can feel a blush creeping up her neck, threatening to make itself visible. The hell is this guy's problem?

"What does your age have to do with anyt—"

Soul watches with a slight inward cringe yet satisfied smirk as his meister proceeds to pitch a book that came out of seemingly nowhere with deadly precision. It smacks the obnoxious salesman in the middle of his forehead a loud thud. "Come on, let's get out of here before they call security on us," he says, unable to keep the chuckle out of his voice despite the fact that he knows his ears tinged pink. A few strangers are trying to wake the man up even though the book's impact had knocked him out.

Needless to say, they walk home that evening, the sickening grossness that is Valentine's Day far from their thoughts because they're too busy trying to pretend the events at Death-Mart hadn't occurred. And if either of them takes notice of how flushed the other is, they don't mention it.

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><p><strong>AN: Because we needed some comic relief! So, the third reason why Maka hates Valentine's Day is coming up tomorrow, and while I have a few ideas in mind for it, I want to know what you guys want! So, if you have an idea for Reason #3, leave a review. I'll pick the one I like most and use it (and give you a shout-out too, of course), or if I don't get a suggestion I think fits, I'll use one of the ones I have already planned in my head. Thank you everyone for reviewing, faving, and following! I appreciate it!**

**This chapter had a slightly different feel (going for a more humorous tone), so I'm not sure how that will go down with you guys. Either you'll hate it or you'll love it. Hopefully the latter.**

**And again, thanks for reading!**


	3. Reason Number 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.**

**To waytheballbounces and harpseal111 whom both suggested the same thing, and extra cookies for you because that was already one of the things I had in mind! Also, to ilarual for pointing out an error in the previous chapter! (I'll be going back to edit more after this chapter is up and published).**

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><p><strong>Queen of Hearts<strong>  
><strong>by.<strong> _xxBurningxx_

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><p><em>Reason #3: Fangirls.<em>

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><p>Maka watches out of the corner of her eyes as she shifts around the contents of her locker. The textbook she needs for her next class is buried in the back somewhere, but retrieving the tome is hardly on her mind. Instead, she's quietly observing as a few pink and red envelopes fall out of her partner's locker as he opens it. The scowl on his face is prominent as he picks them up; the scowl on <em>her<em> face rivals his twofold.

"Aren't you going to read them?" she asks, pulling her book out and adverting her eyes because for some reason she can't find it in herself to meet his gaze. There's no point in trying to fool herself into believing that all those letters are simply partnership requests; not with the kind of lovey-dovey insanity strewn throughout Shibusen at the current moment. She doubts if any of them _aren't _confessions, actually.

Soul picks a few more out of his locker and gives them a dismissive glance before muttering, "What's the point? They're all the same anyways." He walks over to a nearby trash bin and tosses the stack of letters in without a second thought. It's the same routine as always and Maka's seen it all before. Her weapon has to clean out his locker on a near weekly basis due to the sheer amount he gets.

That doesn't mean the burning in her chest dies down as he throws them away.

She's not entirely sure what it is exactly that's getting to her so much. Her fear that he would leave her for another partner has long since dissipated, so why old feelings of anger have resurfaced is beyond her.

"Hey," he says, shutting his locker. "Is this Valentine's Day stuff still getting on your nerves?"

She shrugs, still refusing to look at him in the face. "Yeah, I guess."

The fact that she has a sinking suspicion that Valentine's Day _is _the problem makes her want to Maka Chop someone, even though she's painfully aware that this is no one's fault but her own. She's actually looking forward to Combat Training today because slicing up a few dummies will certainly feel good. Or perhaps losing herself in a novel for a little while is what she really needs. Anything to get her mind off Soul's army of loyal _sluts _will do.

Instantly she feels shameful because she has no place to call them things like that; it's not like she knows them personally. Then there's the small part of her mind that whispers, _it doesn't matter because it's the _truth.

It's not like her to feel so negatively about someone without at least giving them the benefit of the doubt. It's just because they pertain to her weapon that it makes her so spiteful, she knows this much at least.

It's difficult though, because ever since love managed to infest Shibusen's hallways, she's become more and more fed up with Soul's fangirls. The endless stream of love letters that wind up in his locker only seem to poke fun at her; that not a single one has shown up in hers only rubs salt in her wound. At least then she would be able to use it to annoy Soul, at the very least.

Wait. Why is the idea of their roles reversed so appealing to her? How come the image of him being the frustrated one for once so damn pleasing?

She shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"Let's go, before we're late for class."

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><p>They're even more persistent, she discovers, around this time of year.<p>

She's eating lunch, trying to at least enjoy the specialty food they're serving for the holiday (today it's roast beef and gravy, something she hasn't had since she was a young child), when someone walks up and taps on Soul's shoulder. The girl, donned in a shirt that looks like it's at least three sizes too small judging from the way it hugs her skin so tightly, is saying something quietly to Soul. Her hands are clasped together and her eyes are downcast, a slight blush on her cheeks as she shifts from foot to foot in that stereotypical nervous-schoolgirl way. Maka tries to pretend like she isn't interesting in their conversation, apathetically mixing the gravy into her mashed potatoes.

"Ahh, Soul-kun, could I m-maybe talk to you privately?"

"Uhh," he replies, awkwardly sparing a glance at Maka. She nods and gestures for him to go, unable to hide the smirk behind her fork as he turns around to follow the girl. Something about the way he had looked at her first, as though asking for permission to leave, sends an alarming spark of satisfaction through her. Then she thinks about the girl who's probably having her heart broken at this very moment, and it's enough to bring her back to her previous stage of irritation. He always turns down their silly confessions, so she's still trying to figure out why it bugs her so much.

"Maka, is something wrong?"

She looks up and is slightly surprised to see the pink-haired witch Kim standing there, Jacqueline by her side. Then she looks down and realizes that the piece of meat she'd been cutting was shredded up so much she'd actually managed to slice through the Styrofoam tray. "O-oh, it's nothing," she mutters while looking away, feeling a flush of embarrassment grace her cheeks. The pair sit down across from her even though they sit with Ox, Harvar, Kilik and the twins on most days. She's kind of grateful for the added company; Liz and Patty are almost always with Kid in the Death Room at lunch now, while Black Star and Tsubaki are using the time to train. Sometimes, she has to admit, it get's lonely, even if she has Soul.

There was a point in time when Maka thought that nothing would ever change. She used to believe that their group of friends would never drift apart. She can't help but think about how naive she was back then.

Kim clears her throat in a discreet attempt to get her attention because she was staring off into space again.

"Tired of all those girls trying to steal Soul from you?" The witch gives her a knowing smile at Maka's blank stare.

"Huh? I don't—why would they bother me?"

"Don't try to kid yourself," she says, giving her a look. "You were just about destroying your tray just a second ago, and we just passed Soul walking away with some girl. It's not hard to connect the dots."

Maka blinks. Is the source her bad mood really that obvious? Apparently so. "Well, yeah, it _is_ kind of annoying when you're just trying to enjoy a peaceful lunch when suddenly your conversation partner is whisked away." It's a lame cover-up, and Maka knows it.

"I used to have a fanclub too, you know? Still do, actually, they're just more of an 'love from afar' group. Especially since I nearly put the last guy who confessed—besides Ox of course—in the hospital." Kim chuckles at the story like it's a fond memory before her smile fades and she stares at Maka seriously. "Listen, what I'm trying to say is that I highly doubt Soul is actually interested any of those girls, and the only reason he even gives them the time to confess in person is just to get under your skin."

"Trust me," Jacqueline says, wearing an expression akin to something like sympathy, "I know how you feel, Maka."

"But," she mutters, staring at the stupid heart-shaped tray. It takes her a few moments to finally ask, "Why would he want to purposefully get under my skin like that? I mean, if he wants to annoy me, just doing something stupid will suffice."

"That," Kim smiles knowingly as she stands, picking up her tray, "is something you'll have to find out yourself. Don't worry Maka, you're a smart girl. You'll figure it out sooner or later. Although, I wouldn't keep him waiting too long." With that, the two girls depart, leaving in their wake a very confused Maka. It's then that Soul reappears, looking more annoyed than anything.

"What did they want?" he asks, glancing at the pair walking away.

"Oh, they were just, you know...chatting."

"Chatting?" He gives her a look saying that he didn't believe her, but he doesn't push further. That's one thing she appreciates most about her partner: he doesn't pry when she doesn't want to talk, and in exchange she returns the favor (most of the time, anyways). She asks what the girl wanted even though she knows the answer already.

Maka doesn't really listen to what Soul says after that, her mind still occupied with what the witch had said to her. She doesn't understand, and that only manages to make her even more frustrated. Maka Albarn knows everything, or at least she likes to think she does, and anyone who disagrees will promptly receive a book to the face. Based off that, however, it means that she needs to Maka Chop herself or something, because she has no idea what this raging feeling is in her chest. Give her any test and she'll pass it with flying colors, but if it covers her own damn feelings then she can only seem to score a big fat F.

"Hey, is something wrong?" Soul asks, nudging her arm. Something about his furred eyebrows strikes her as adorable and that _really_ doesn't help her in figuring this mess out.

She doesn't reply for at least a full minute, until finally the only thing she can think to say is, "Would you get mad if I Maka Chopped you right now for no good reason?"

"Uhh, here let me think," he says as he strokes his chin in mock thought. "Yes?"

"Okay, good."

She proceeds to slam the spine of her book into his head as he shouts in protest—some curse she doesn't quite catch—her head still trying to figure out why those fangirls piss her off so much.

She has a few suspicions, but they only bring a blush to her face.

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><p><strong>AN: Final chapter tomorrow! I think I'll be updating it earlier that usual (id est, in about 10 hours from now) since I'll be going to my dad's later tomorrow. Yeah, so here's this. Thank you everyone who's reviewed, faved, or followed thus far; I really appreciate it! Tomorrow's chapter is going to occur at Kid's party, so yay! 'Cause there's gonna be some subtle fluff!**

**As always, thank you for reading. **

**(Post scriptum: I'm going to edit both chapter 1 and 2 again, so any typos and errors should be fixed by tomorrow. Same thing for this chapter, but for now I just want to get it published!)**


	4. Shibusen's First Annual V-Day Ball

**OH MY GODS I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE LATE UPLOAD!_ Allow me to explain._ Basically, I had to go to my dad's on Valentine's Day, for the weekend, and I couldn't get this uploaded before I had to leave. I already had the file pretty much ready though, save for a few hundred words or so, and I figured, "Okay, no biggie, I'll upload it with my phone." Well, that didn't fucking work. I spent two hours straight trying to get the damn thing to copy/paste and in the end I just about threw a temper tantrum. So I was just as pissed as you guys. Alas, I'm home with my beloved computer, and I can upload. Hopefully you guys don't hate me too much, and so please enjoy the final installment of Queen of Hearts.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.**

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><p><strong>Queen of Hearts<strong>  
><strong>by.<strong>_ xxBurningxx_

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><p><em>Shibusen's First Annual Valentine's Day Ball.<em>

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><p>Maka stares at herself in the mirror for at least five minutes before grabbing a brush to further mess with her hair. She's never been one to pay too much attention to her appearance; she takes showers on a daily-basis, doesn't wear makeup, and draws her hair up in two simple pigtails. Nothing extravagant. Tonight is different, however, because it is Valentine's Day and there's a party to attend.<p>

The dress she's wearing is simple, stopping just above her knees. It's a deep emerald color that compliments her eyes; at first she had given it a second thought, only because this particular holiday calls for warmer colors (red being the most obvious example) but then she had decided that she didn't really care. If she has to go to this stupid ball, then she'll wear what she wants to wear, regardless of what others think.

Her hair is straightened, curling at the tips slightly. She glances at a bag full of brand new makeup products Liz had given her ages ago, contemplating whether or not to use it. After another full five minutes of simply pondering this, she decides that she's not there to impress anyone, setting the bag down after having picked it up. Then she grabs it again, giving it a long stare before a sudden loud banging on the door cuts through her concentration.

"Oi, hurry up will you? We're gonna be late, and we both know how you get when we're late to something!"

"Shut up! I'm almost done," she shouts, dropping the makeup bag again.

When she steps out of her room, the sight she's greeted with makes chest flutter. Soul is standing there clad in a dark pinstripe suit, very similar to the one he wears in the Black Room except the shirt underneath is white and his tie is a deep red. In same way her dress brings out her eyes, his tie accomplishes just that, highlighting his bottomless pits of crimson. His hair is just as messy as it always is and she briefly wonders if he even tried to fix it any. She doesn't realize her breath is hitched until he mumbles something she doesn't hear. "What?"

"It's nothing," he says, gesturing towards to the front door."Come on, if we're not there at the 8 o'clock speech, Kid'll fuss about it."

Maka glares at him, unwilling to move. "Tell me!" she growls, folding her arms. The toothy grin he gives her doesn't infuriate her like she knows it should; instead it only succeeds in making her heart thump a little quicker than normal. He begins pushing her towards the door, ignoring her weak cries of protest, and as soon as the door closes behind them, a purple cat walks around the corner.

Being a cat, her sensitive ears caught what Soul had muttered to Maka when the exchange occurred.

She smirks to herself because she agrees; Maka-chan _did _look pretty good in that dress.

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><p>Everyone is there.<p>

And she means _everyone_. From teachers to students from each grade level, the place is packed full. As she had predicted, most of the girls were wearing black or red dresses, sharply contrasting with her own.

Soul and Maka had arrived a few minutes early because even though the event technically starts at 8 o'clock, everyone knows that Kid is extremely punctual and if something starts at a certain time, then _it starts at that time. _So everyone gets there slightly early to avoid being caught off-guard.

The setting itself isn't as bad as Maka had expected. The balloons were kept to a minimum and the streamers weren't as off-putting as they had been a few days ago. At the back, near the stage, was a large banner that had written neatly on it: **Shibusen's First Annual Valentine's Day Ball. **There are large tables, some with dull pink tablecloths and others with bright red ones, that display beautifully set-up platters of food. No one's dared to dig into any of it yet except—to no one's great surprise—Black Star. He's tearing up the leg of a roasted chicken, and Patty's standing nearby with a look on her face that suggests she might join him before too long.

Maka looks away from the blue-haired idiot, rolling her eyes. "Oh, by the way Soul, I convinced Kid not to make you give a speech."

He looks at her with a look of gleeful surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah, I told him that if if you spoke too, he wouldn't be able to end the speech portion of the evening exactly at 8:08 PM."

"Ahh, that's great," he says, huffing out a great sigh of relief.

"You owe me one," she says, smiling at him and only half-kidding. They mingle for a few moments and Soul gets them punch from a large bowl that he suspects is crystal. They're just about to join their friends when a loud chime cuts through the crowd, getting their attention. Kid, donned in his cloak and mask, is standing at the stage making wide arm gestures to signal for everyone to quiet down. He stands tall and proud with a glass in one hand and a spoon in the other while Spirit hovers nearby. He clears his throat before speaking.

"As you all know, this is the first year that Shibusen has decided to hold a Valentine's Day event. Because of what we do here at Shibusen, sometimes it is hard to find love among all the learning and work. For the EAT class, it can be even more difficult due to the constant struggle to keep the frequently appearing pre-Kishin at bay. Despite this, we all have people we care about, whether that be in a platonic way or otherwise. So, if you are here tonight with your lover, then congratulations for surviving another day together. If you aren't, then congratulations as well, for being part of the family that is Shibusen."

Kid continues to talk for five more minutes, until the clock strikes 8:08 and he concludes his speech. It's a shock to some that Black Star actually manages to remain quiet through the entire thing; others believe that apparently an entire chicken_ is_ enough to distract even a god.

"With that, I hope everyone enjoys their evening. Cheers, for Valentine's Day."

Everybody raises their cups and an eruption of cheers ripple through the crowd. After that, the area is a mess of people trying to get plates of food, so Maka takes a step back from large group of people. She decides that food can wait until the line dies down. It isn't until almost an entire hour of mingling passes that slow music begins to echo throughout the large room and Maka watches as people begin pairing up to dance. She sips on her punch as she observes the happy couples slowly waltzing and a pang of sadness twinges in her chest.

It's then that she realizes that Soul is no where to be seen. Her eyes dart around, trying to spot his unmistakable mess of white among all the other heads in the room. When she doesn't find him, she approaches Liz and Tsubaki and asks them if they'd seen her idiot-weapon anywhere. They only shake their heads and give her sympathetic looks that make her eyebrow twitch with annoyance. As she's walking away, an idea sparks in her head. Remembering how much he despises large groups of people, she takes a step onto the balcony. The instant she sees his figure leaning up against the railing, she smiles. A sudden rush of nostalgia sweeps over her, memories of that night so many years ago that was just like this.

She goes up to him, rubbing her arms at the chill in the air. When her shoulder brushes his, he glances over. "How you doing?" she asks, looking out over Death City.

"Fine," he grumbles, taking a swig of his punch. "Just thinking, is all."

"You'll hurt yourself if you do that too much," she jokes lightly, but he doesn't laugh.

Instead he shrugs and says, "I know." Something about his tone of voice is somber and it makes her heart sink a little.

"Soul, you know if you want to talk to me you can."

"I know," he repeats. "I know."

They stand in the night together, enjoying the comfortable silence that settles between them as their souls buzz next to each other. The moon grins down at them, casting a soft glow on their skin while Maka is caught in her own thoughts as well. She thinks about all the things she's been through the past few days: how impossibly angry this holiday makes her, how frustrating everyday tasks became because of it, and most of all her conversation with Kim and Jacqueline. What scares her the most is the conclusion her head's come to. When did her partner become so attractive? Since when did his hair look so soft and utterly_ touchabl_e? When did her heart start racing every time his lips tugged up in a smirk? It's terrifying because for so long she's told herself that she wouldn't allow herself to fall like that for anyone. So what was it about his impossibly scarlet eyes that made her freeze in place?

She realizes something at that moment.

Maka Albarn had been doomed to fall for him since day one. The moment his intriguingly dark yet soothing music filled her ears she should have known.

It's all so obvious now.

"Hey," she says, nudging his shoulder. "Dance?"

He gives her a blank stare before looking at the door and then back to her as though considering something.

"We don't have to go back in," she adds. The music is still audible, even outside, and she knows dancing out there in such a large mess of people would no doubt make him uncomfortable.

"Yeah," he says quietly, offering her a small and completely genuine smile. It's enough to make her heart flutter again in that stupid way.

Her hand on top of his, they sway to the soft melody coming from the door. She praises herself for becoming much better at waltzing, and although he doesn't know this, she's spent a considerable amount of time reading through books about it. In exchange, they can successfully move together without any toes being stepped on.

She's not sure when it happened but somewhere along the way their bodies had drifted closer, and now she was nearly touching him.

Her mind isn't really in sync with her body because she her head falls on his shoulder, resting in the crook of his neck. For a horrible second she thinks he might say something because his wavelength wavers a little, but then she feels his head leaning against hers; for the umpteenth time this night her heart tightens with nerves and she feels like she collapse.

When the song from inside slowly dies down, their movements do as well, but they don't separate. They simply stand there, the night wrapped around their figures as the chilly breeze outside nips at their skin. The silence seems to communicate their feelings just as well as words would have; maybe it has something to do with the fact that their souls are so fine-tuned to one another that words simply aren't necessary. Perhaps this is the only thing they needed all along: a sappy holiday that they mutually despise and a quiet dance alone together on said holiday. They're a quirky pair like that.

"Hey, Maka," Soul says softly, pushing her back gently.

She looks up at him a vaguely remembers when they were the same height. It seems like forever ago. "Yeah?"

Then he leans down and his lips are brushing over hers. Instantly her eyes flutter shut and a tsunami wave of different things are crashing down on her; a complicated mix of relief and joy that swirl around in the back of her head as she wraps her arms around his neck. And it feels right. It's so natural that neither of them question it. When they part for air, they lock eyes for only a second before their mouths are reunited once again. This time it's more passionate.

She can feel all the years of pent up love she hadn't even known existed flowing out of her soul at that moment. It's not just her either, because she can feel the exact same emotions bouncing off his soul to hers as their lips move against each other. His hands sneak around her waist, pulling her closer. As oxygen once again becomes a hindrance, they pull apart somewhat unwillingly. It's okay though, because he's grinning and she's smiling and they've barely even said a word to each other.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Maka."

"Oh Death, don't remind me."

Maka Albarn was a naive girl six years ago. She should have known that Soul Evans would take her heart and keep it for himself; then again, how could she have? Likewise, Soul Evans should have been weary of a bookworm like Maka Albarn because it was obvious she would put him under her spell like a magician in one of her novels. They had been doomed to love one another since day one.

Even so, grinning at each other like idiots under the moonlight with flushed faces feels pretty good, after all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: AGAIN I'M TERRIBLY SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES I HAD. **

**With that, this concludes my story Queen of Hearts! A big shout-out to Lisp, waytheballbounces, ilarual, CrazyDamson, SassySimoneEvans, ButtercupandButch, harpseal111, and Strophanthus for giving awesome reviews! And to everyone else that faved or followed, you guys are awesome too. I thank everyone for reading this, and I hope you enjoyed it! (If you came this far, then I hope that means you did).  
><strong>

**I considered adding some conflict with Soul's fangirls in this chapter, but then I decided that no, I just wanted this to be mainly about them. **

**I had a lot of fun writing this. Usually I'd do a one-shot or something, but this was a nice change from the usual. Hopefully you guys enjoyed V-day, even if you're single. I'm single! Why do you think I'm on FanFiction so much? Haha, I'm just kidding, but seriously.**

**Also, I'll come back and do some more editing; just wanna get this chapter out there first, so.**

**Anyways, as always, thanks for reading!**

**Until next time,  
>[Burning]<strong>


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